"The cool thing about bombs is that you can hide them in anything," is probably my favourite Oppenheimer quote of all time, and in the case of Ian Hitman, it does raise an important question: with so many everyday objects equal to the rubber duck in its unthreatening aura, yet more inconspicuous, why choose to put an explosive in this one?
The simplest answer is that’s it’s a recurring bit of levity, a holdover easter egg, elevated to the status of key mission item in Hitman: Codename 47 before being given pride of place as an explosive in the World Of Assassination games. But to ascribe such unassuming purpose to the duck is to ignore its revelatory power. We must go deeper.
]]>Hitman's Elusive Targets started as a series of one-off assassinations, baddies who would appear in the live service game for a few days and offer one chance to kill them (don't blow it!) before vanishing. While developers Io Interactive did eventually start bringing back Elusive Targets due to popular demand/widespread frustration, some have proved more elusive than others. Four years since he last appeared, a target played by famous dier Sean Bean will return in March. Kill him, kill him while you can. It's what he would want. It's how he pays his rent. Craft services don't even offer him a cuppa until he croaks.
]]>Hitman 3 turned into Hitman: World Of Assassination last year, grouping the entire trilogy of missions all under one roof and adding a roguelike mode. The murder sim has been relatively quiet since.
Now a new elusive target is coming to the game this autumn, the first in two years. It's about taking down a character called The Drop, played by real-world DJ Dimitri Vegas.
]]>Hitman 3's long-awaited Freelancer mode is finally out, letting you play missions from across the trilogy with randomised objectives and other roguelike elements. Hitman 3 is also now called Hitman: World Of Assassination and its multitude of editions, bundles and DLCs have been combined and simplified. As a result, every Hitman 3 owner now has access to all the levels from Hitman 1 and 2, if they didn't already.
]]>There’s a new Nvidia GeForce Game Ready Driver out, and for once it sounds pretty interesting – especially if you’re lucky/rich/unhinged enough to have dropped megabucks on one of Nvidia’s megabucks RTX 40 series GPUs.
The 528.24 WHQL driver is mainly aimed at tuning up GeForce graphics cards for imminent PC releases Forspoken, the Dead Space remake, and Deliver Us Mars. All three will include DLSS support, which might come in handy for Forspoken in particular, given its slightly bananas system requirements. But 528.24 will also get Hitman 3 and Marvel’s Midnight Suns ready for DLSS 3 upgrades, with both games set to gain support for the overhauled upscaler in forthcoming patches.
]]>The long-awaited Freelancer mode for Hitman 3 goes live later this month, tasking the world’s blandest professional killer with taking down nefarious organisations one target at a time. To prepare for Freelancer’s launch on January 26th, devs IO Interactive have shared a new trailer that’s essentially just the mission briefing your Agent 47 will see when he begins his bloodthirsty roguelike quest. You can watch the mission briefing below, if you’re feeling suitably assassinatey.
]]>Hitman 3 will be renamed Hitman World Of Assassination, and Hitman 1 and 2 will be delisted from sale. These changes are Io Interactive's solution to the currently messy process of buying Hitman games or working out what you already own. From January 26th, when these changes take effect, there will be just two Hitman packages for sale. This might mean that you're getting some existing content for free, and it will mean that future DLC purchases should cost less.
]]>Good ol’ Ian Hitman is still assassinating away in Hitman 3’s second year of extra stuff to do, and he’s getting ready to huff, puff, and blow some targets away on November 10th. IO Interactive shared their roadmap for what’s ahead this month in Hitman 3, with a new escalation contract that takes its inspiration from one of my kids’ favourite stories, the Three Little Pigs. You can catch up on what’s in store for Ian this month by watching the video below.
]]>Agent 47 is still going freelance, but not this year. IO Interactive have pushed Hitman 3’s planned free Freelancer mode back again, this time to January 26th. The delay was announced along with the reveal of a closed technical test for Freelancer starting early next month. And here I was, thinking that Ian Hitman never missed a target.
]]>The Hitman games are often good and usually fun, it’s fair to say, particularly the recent World Of Assassination trilogy. Ian Hitman’s turn in the two films released about his adventures has been rougher to recommend, though. That’s why it’s simultaneously disappointing and awesome to learn that Guardians Of The Galaxy, The Suicide Squad and – shudder – Slither director James Gunn narrowly missed his target when he pitched a Hitman movie.
]]>Hitman 3 and its closely-related predecessors already contain more murder sandboxes than I can handle, but IO Interactive continue to add more for free. Later this month, Hitman 3 receives Ambrose Island, a tropical island home to a "dangerous pirate syndicate" and whole new level level for Agent 47 to wreak his sneaky havoc within.
]]>As promised, Hitman 3 now has ray tracing support, added in a new patch alongside Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR 1.0 upscaling capabilities. It’s no lightweight implementation either, combining both ray traced reflections and sun shadows that can really spruce up the game’s already-gleaming murder sandboxes. It’ll please shiny floor enthusiast Katharine, put it that way.
]]>The roguelike Freelancer mode planned for murder ‘em up Hitman 3 has been bumped back until the second half of this year, IO Interactive have announced. The delay was shared as part of Hitman 3’s May roadmap. Luckily, IO have brought forward the release of the tropical 'Rocky' map they showed off in January. There’s Ian Hitman for you, always improvising.
]]>Hitman 3's second year saw the addition of Elusive Targets Arcade, which brings permanent new assassination contracts to the murder sandbox as opposed to the previous time-limited targets. Three new Arcade contracts were added this week, alongside tweaks which make existing and future Arcade contracts a lot simpler.
]]>Hitman 3 had a rough launch on Steam last week, quickly gathering 50% negative user reviews. Many of the complaints related to price and confusion over the various editions on sale.
To make amends, Io Interactive are giving anyone who buys Hitman 3 on Steam before February 19th a free upgrade. If you buy the standard edition (£50/$60), you'll be bumped up to the Deluxe Edition (£75/$90). If you bought the Deluxe Edition, you'll get a free upgrade to the Seven Deadly Sins Collection (which on its own costs £23.73 with its 15% launch discount).
]]>Hitman 1-3 is a fantastic trilogy and, also, a curse upon digital storefronts. Hitman 3 frustrated players when it first launched on Epic, because their progress didn't carry over; Hitman 1 frustrated players on GOG last year because its internet requirements constitute DRM; and now Hitman 3 is back at it again on Steam. It currently has "Mixed" reviews after arriving on the platform earlier this week, with players cross about its price, its umpteen editions, and - yes, again - progress not carrying over for some.
]]>It's a big day for splendid sandbox stealth stabber Hitman 3, now entering its second year of content and support. The developers, Io Interactive are going hard out the gate by adding the new Elusive Target Arcade mode and bringing VR support to PC. It's also ending Epic exclusivity today, hitting not only Steam but Game Pass too, with the full trilogy coming to Microsoft's subscription service. Busy busy.
]]>A new map, a new roguelikelike mode, PC VR, and a new take on one of Hitman's more controversial elements are all coming in Hitman 3's Year 2, developers Io Interactive detailed today. They've just held a stream revealing plans for the second year of support and content, giving a look at the new Elusive Target Arcade mode (this time, the murders are permanent, not ephemeral) and announcing Freelancer mode. That will give Ian Hitman a safe house again, and send him out to take down organisations through chains of missions with randomised elements. Plus, the whole trilogy is coming to Game Pass. Lots of news.
]]>We know a little of what season two of Hitman 3 will contain, including the PC debut of VR, something called Elusive Target Arcade, and the arrival of one Mr. Ray Tracing. All of this will be revealed in earnest in just two days time though, with a "reveal stream" on January 13th.
]]>Hitman 3 is getting a second season of updates in 2022, including raytracing and VR on PC. Before the second season, however, comes the season of winter. In a new roadmap video and post, IOI have outlined a new Santa mission for the murder sim, plus the return of old elusive targets.
]]>Hitman 3 is the conclusion to IO Interactive’s sandbox homicidin’ trilogy, but the game itself still has plenty of life in it yet. In a new “Year 2” trailer, IO producer Hakan Abrak has teased some fresh additions coming in 2022, from new modes to PC-specific upgrades like ray tracing and VR support.
]]>Amidst all the excitement of Intel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs, let’s not forget that the first Intel dedicated graphics cards are on their way. Codenamed Arc Alchemist, these GPUs will launch alongside XeSS (Xe Super Sampling), an Nvidia DLSS-style upscaling/anti-aliasing piece of tech that promises to boost performance while sharpening up those jagged edges. And we now know the first two games that will support XeSS: Hitman 3 and The Riftbreaker.
]]>After countless Xbox Game Pass plugs, a lot of Dooming, and the arrival and subsequent disappearance of Greta Surname, The PC Gaming Weekspot is coming to an end. But, before we go, there's time to highlight some of our favourite games of 2021.
]]>If Hitman 3’s latest escalation mission looks familiar, it’s because the last time you were here, 47 was working hard to solve a murder mystery in Dartmoor Mansion. Returning to the scene of the crime finds the mansion in full bloom, and now playing host to a garden party. With four full gardens installed in the grounds, the murky murder mystery setting makes way for bright skies, gorgeous plants, and milling judges in the Dartmoor Garden Show.
]]>With 2021 marching on at a seemingly impossible pace, we thought it was high time we sat down in our virtual Treehouses to chat about the best games of the year we've played so far. 2021 has been an odd year for games. The first few months were front-loaded with some big meaty hitters after giving Cyberpunk 2077 a wide berth at the end of last year, while others have been pushed back even further into the depths of 2022. Indeed, a lot of the games we're really looking forward to in 2021 are still hovering away on the horizon, tantalisingly close but just out of reach.
Until those juicy morsels arrive on our gaming plates, though, these are the games we've enjoyed the most over the last six months. You'll find all sorts here, from big epic space operas and zombie horror fests to cosy town builders and err... couple's therapy puzzlers. Will any of them make it to our end of year Advent Calendar? Only time will tell. And if we've missed something you think is absolutely vital playing this year, please do shout about it in the comments. Our gaming bellies are never full these days, and the Christmas turkey is still so very far away...
]]>Assassination sandbox Hitman 3 has gone and made another of its levels available free for a limited time. As it did with the Dubai level back in March, the free Starter Pack version of Hitman 3 is currently giving players access to one of the best levels from the first game in the trilogy. You can murder your way through multiple Sapienza missions from today through July 4th if you own the starter pack or the full Hitman 3 game.
]]>We've already gotten a frighteningly good look at the wild peacock suit coming to Hitman 3 today in its new Season Of Pride. Io Interactive have now laid out their full roadmap for the season in a new trailer, including all the free pride-themed contracts coming throughout the month. Along with all the official Hitmaning, contracts made by your fellow agents are arriving in June as well.
]]>I haven’t had the time to shift my mental furniture around to accommodate Hitman 3, yet. It seems like an undertaking that requires some serious focus, and right now I’m too busy playing Overwatch and watching Prodigal Son. So I confess I didn’t know that the game’s seasons were themed according to the deadly sins, which really confused me when I saw what he was wearing for the 'Pride' update. I’ve never even seen a PVC peacock suit before.
]]>Not too far back we learned that Hitman 3 developers IO Interactive are working on an upcoming James Bond game. Makes total sense, sure. Guy in a suit with guns and gadgets murdering lots of folks on secret missions falls neatly into their repertoire. What comes as more of a surprise is that the third game they're working on is something totally different. According to rumors, it might be a medieval setting with dragons. Go on then, IOI.
]]>Ever since the demo failed to wow people back in February, it was pretty clear that Outriders had a ceiling. Not an outrageously low ceiling, but a ceiling nonetheless. Still, even with launch issues a lack of anything extraordinary, it's actually a pretty decent video game.
]]>As they did with the two games before, Io Interactive have released a free 'Starter Pack' sorta-demo of Hitman 3. It currently offers the first game's tutorial mission, the second game's first mission, and—for one week only—the third game's first mission, set in Dubai. But it's also a barebones edition of Hitman 3, and lets owners of the first two games import their locations to play them in full with the benefit of Hit 3's new features. Something for everyone.
]]>If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the Hitman business, it’s this: when a person sees a coin, they will risk absolutely anything to pick it up. Now since I was made in a lab and all, I don’t know much about money. But I’m not stupid. I reckon these “coins” they’ve been giving me for my missions must be pretty valuable. In fact, I am utterly certain that they are worth one billion pounds each. And I’ve got three of ‘em. Which makes me a trillionaire.
So. Diana - the boss - has taken me to Mendoza. Not exactly sure why, ‘cos I wasn’t really paying attention, but there's this Yates geezer throwing a fancy party, which she wants to infiltrate so that a secret society can make her queen of the world. She’s welcome to try. But she hasn’t got three billion pounds, has she? I have. And I'm gonna use 'em to beat Diana at her own game, join this secret society myself, and become king of the world. All I need to do is get into a position to impress them, and I’ll be set for life.
]]>I’ve been really into assassinations, recently. It started with the Dishonored series, which I impulse-bought after Alice Bee and Matthew off of the podcast tempted me into it with the promise of whales. It was a good decision: I’ve been having a grand old time in Dunwall, mincing ruffians, braining accordion-wielding secret police, and eating rats like kebabs. But Corvo was only a gateway drug. Alice made the call last week to move me on to the hard stuff, furnishing me with a copy of Hitman 3, and crikey (that’s a full-on, octave-busting Beano-tier “crikey”, there) is it ever fun.
In all the years I’d spent not playing Hitman, I’d assumed the games were dour, stealth-focused gunishment simulators with little to distinguish them. But they are not. As Brendy said in his review, each level in Hitman 3 is a “clockwork murder toy”: a world running to its own rules, which you are free to interfere with. They each have a start (a bald bloke showing up in a place), and a finish (the bald bloke leaving the place, once his targets are deadoes), but they leave everything in between down to the player’s whim. The feeling of freedom is exhilarating. But what’s cranked it up still further for me has been my decision to play without saving at all.
]]>Ian "Agent 47" Hitman is a social doppelganger, built for the purpose of dishing out just desserts to awful people. A sort of ‘Karma Chameleon’, if I may coin a phrase. The Hitman has no issue mingling with oil barons, fashion moguls, and arms dealers at private parties. Trying to navigate the esoteric rules for getting into a Berlin techno club, however? All the disguises in the world are so much currywurst and Club-Mate vomited behind a bin if, for whatever reason, the bouncer simply doesn’t like your stupid bald face.
]]>Hitman 3 is a great game and a fitting end to one of PC gaming's best trilogies, but it has been released under a small dark cloud. Players were supposed to be able to import locations from Hitman 1 and 2, if they owned them, into the latest iteration of IO Interactive's assassin sim, but there was a change in plans related, its assumed, to Hitman 3 being an Epic Games store exclusive. Right now, three weeks after release, if you want to get Hitman 2 locations into Hitman 3, you have to re-buy Hitman 2 on Epic.
IOI have committed to finding a solution, and now say that it'll be ready before the end of February.
]]>Jingle that pointless metal money over here, little human. You need a place to put all that ridiculous cash, and I know just the thing. Vending machines. They are like regular shops except imagine your Mars bar didn't leave the shop assistant's hand and you had to slap their arm to loosen it free and afterwards they just smiled at you as if nothing was amiss with vacant eyes like two pilot lights and a tin voice like someone speaking through an office intercom which suddenly erupts with high decibel hatred: "WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS OF VALUE".
Here are the 9 best vending machines in PC games. Have a good day.
]]>Bloober Team’s latest seemed to split reviewers when the embargo lifted last week. Some hailed it as a game of the year contender, while others claimed it was the drizzling poos. I think the name of the game perfectly sums up my feelings on it.
]]>In Hitman 3, there are a fair number of wacky and wild ways to whack someone. From chandeliers to wet floor signs, you’ll be taking out your foes with some seriously weird kit. One of the strangest is doable in Dubai, where you’re able to get a kill with an exploding golf ball. Here’s how.
]]>In Hitman 3’s Mendoza, one of your targets is Don Archibald Yates. Among the many, many ways to kill him, you can find evidence that he’s about to betray his own wife. This can lead to an accidental death, so here’s all the steps you need to eliminate Don Yates by mariticide in the Domestic Disturbance challenge.
]]>In the Hitman 3 End Of An Era mission, set in Chongqing, you’ll be able to complete three ‘Mission Stories’ for specially-designed ways to commit brutal, silent murder. Some parts of it don’t seem to lead directly to kills though, and you’ll sometimes need to take a couple extra steps after the mission has been completed. Don’t fret though! Just follow these steps and you’ll be able to complete all mission stories in Hitman 3’s Chongqing level.
]]>At last! A ranking of all 21 Hitman levels from the World of Assassination trilogy. Did you ask for it? No. Did the editors ask for it? Also, no. But what’s more Hitman than waiting for a loud distraction - the recent redesign of RPS - and using the confusion to slip you something unexpected. Of course, I hope this list doesn’t prove to be an emetic. That’s what Graham likes to call a website ‘no no’.
]]>Assassination experts Io Interactive booted their latest murder man game out the door and are now proudly announcing that Hitman 3, despite some server issues in its first few days, has already recouped its development costs. Folks seem to have having a grand old time in Ian Hitman's latest adventure, which hopefully only spells good news for that James Bond game the studio is set to work on next.
]]>In Hitman 3, you’re able to carry out ‘escalation’ missions to up the challenge and bring about some unique tasks in the maps you know and love. For The Asmodeus Waltz, you have to own Hitman 3’s Deluxe Edition, and by completing it you’ll be able to unlock The Devil’s Own suit. Here’s our guide for the Asmodeus Waltz escalation in Hitman 3’s Dubai.
]]>When Nvidia announced the latest batch of games getting ray tracing support earlier this month, I was heartbroken to learn that Hitman 3 wasn't among them. I'm still quite early on in my Hitman 3 adventures, but you only need to take one look at its gorgeous opening Dubai level to know that this would make a great ray tracing game. Just look at those polished floors waxed within an inch of their lives! They're crying out for some ray traced reflections, those. And all that glass! It needs to happen.
]]>One of Hitman 3’s Dartmoor challenges is Voyeurism, which tasks you with taking a photo of the flirting employees. Some people have had a couple issues with this challenge, so here’s our guide to how to complete the Voyeurism challenge in Hitman 3
.]]>In Hitman 3’s Dartmoor, there are some challenges that don’t tell you what to do to obtain them. They’re ‘redacted’. Not to worry though! We’ve put together a handy guide on how to complete Another Death In The Family in Hitman 3
.]]>The recent Hitman games have traditionally come with some pretty good benchmarking tools on PC, but Hitman 3's benchmark tests (yes, tests) are arguably the best yet. The first is pretty standard Hitman fare - a glossy visual showcase that runs through the sweeping, shining interiors of the game's opening Dubai level - but the second Dartmoor benchmark is pure chaos. Everything, and I mean everything, gets shot to pieces in this benchmark, from its pristine libraries to its marble columns and statues and sparkling chandeliers. It's properly glorious. Painful (think of all those poor books!), but glorious. If you ever wanted a secret taster of what IOI's upcoming Bond game might look like, you should definitely give it a watch.
]]>In Hitman 3’s Dartmoor level, you’re going to want to get a hold of as many keys as possible to get around Thornbridge Manor. Unfortunately, they’re pretty well-hidden. Not to worry though - we’re here to help. Here’s our guide for all key locations in Hitman 3’s Dartmoor.
]]>There's plenty to see and murder in the Dartmoor mission of Hitman 3, as Agent 47 dons his thinking cap and tries to solve a locked-room mystery. As usual, there are quite a few obstacles to overcome, including a locked safe hidden away in Alexa Carlisle's office. You'll need to solve a puzzle of sorts to get in, but don't worry if you can't work it out yourself. We've broken the code, and can lead you through unlocking Alexa Carlisle's safe to get the case file in the Death in the Family mission. Let's get cracking.
]]>In Hitman 3, you’ll often be required to find your way through locked doors that can’t be opened with a lockpick or a crowbar. Instead, you’ll need to find the specific combination and unlock it by inputting the right passcode. Thankfully, in the Hitman world, people write lock combinations on post-it notes or whiteboards in plain sight, so there’s usually a way to bypass them by looking around.
Here’s a constantly-updated page with all the lock combinations in each Hitman 3 level, including instructions on where to find them.
]]>Hitman 3 has now been out for just a couple days, so naturally speedrunners have already managed to beat its levels in under a minute. I really like puzzle-y stealth games but I approach them as I do a game of chess: thoughtfully, slowly, and badly. That makes me the exact opposite of the folks who are already making their way through Hitman 3 levels quickly, skillfully, and mercilessly. They're doing it in under a minute too. Jeez.
]]>The Dartmoor level of Hitman 3 is easily a highlight of the series. You'll take on the role of a private investigator, and work out the solution to a good old locked-room mystery. To do this, you'll need to examine each area of the mansion with care, including the greenhouse out back. Problem is, the greenhouse is locked, with the key missing. To help you get to the vital evidence hidden within the greenhouse we've detailed exactly how to get inside. We'll take a look at the mysterious case of the missing greenhouse key, as well as what you can find inside the greenhouse.
]]>In the Dubai mission in Hitman 3, you might need to go into the server room in order to rearrange the meetings of your targets and get them alone in a room. However, a bit of the mission I got stuck on is the part where you have to acquire admin privileges in the server room. Here’s how to acquire admin privileges during the How The Mighty Fall mission.
]]>The first mission in Hitman 3 - Dubai - has three ‘Mission Stories’ available to you. Some bits and pieces are less self-explanatory than we might like though, so we’ve put together a nice, easy, step-by-step guide on how to complete them. Just follow these steps and you’ll be able to complete all mission stories in Hitman 3’s Dubai level.
]]>Officially, Hitman 3 launched yesterday. In reality, uh, some players still aren't really getting to play. The servers which imported progression from the previous two games have been overloaded, an issue Io Interactive scrambled to fix yesterday. Server woes are also causing some players to have the game interrupted by error messages prompting them to reconnect or play offline. Io's most recent statement said they were working on servers.
]]>Launch day log in issues aren't a thing I'd expect to hear about surrounding a single player stealth romp but hey, it's 2021. There are no rules. Hitman 3 is out today and it seems that the website meant to import your prior hitmaning progress into the newest murder fest is having a bit of a struggle. That wouldn't be so bad, except waiting to make that import is effectively keeping players from starting in on Hitman 3. Io Interactive say they're on the case.
]]>Ian Hitman's current trilogy of sandbox stealth-o-murder games wraps up today with Hitman 3, which launched just a few minutes ago. As he fights a vast conspiracy, he'll do murders in new levels everywhere from England to Dubai, and get into a few of his trademark daft situations. One mission is just a murder mystery potentially starring Ian, an actual murderer, as the detective. Unfortunately, the promised ability for owners of the previous two games to connect and play them inside 3 is delayed.
]]>Hitman 3 is out later this week and if Brendy's review is any indication, it's great. He calls it "as capable and pleasing as its trilogy-siblings," and names the trilogy as a whole, "one of the most fun-loving games of the previous decade."
That got me thinking. What is the best trilogy in PC gaming?
]]>After an extended Christmas break, video games are most definitely back. All it took was for The Mouse to remember that there's money in these here hills, and for Ian to return and murder some people in a variety of environments, some of which are very hill-like.
]]>You know what you're getting into. The empathy-void assassin of the Hitman trilogy is an anti-Santa who only has a "naughty" list and never a "nice" one. He visits the rich and powerful once every couple of years, to shove lumps of coal down their throat because they've been selling AK-47s to babies.
Here he is again in the final instalment of the most recent righteous murder trilogy. Hold Hitman 3 in your hands and you might remark it feels "a bit light", with the suspicious eyes of someone whose favourite cereal seems to have fewer flakes in the box every time they buy it. But what's inside still has that crunch and flavour you like, so it's hard to grumble when you're stuffing your face. Mmmmm, Emetic Poison Bran.
]]>Last week, IO Interactive said players would need to own Hitman 2 on the Epic Games Store if they wanted to import its levels to Hitman 3. That was pretty rubbish - for owners of the game on Steam, it meant you either couldn't have those levels, or you'd need to buy it again. Thankfully, IO are looking for a solution, and guarantee players won't need to rebuy the game after all.
"We are continuing to work with our partners to allow PC players who own Hitman 1 or Hitman 2 to import locations from those games at no additional cost," they said on Sunday.
]]>Hitman 3 will no longer offer the ability to import levels from Hitman 2 when it launches later this month, unless players re-purchase Hitman 2 on the Epic Games Store first. Near the bottom of a long and complicated pre-launch guide, developers IO Interactive said the change in plans was "due to various circumstances out of our control." Hitman 1 and 2 were both released on Steam, while Hitman 3 is launching as an Epic Games Store exclusive.
]]>The tree is in the attic, there isn’t a scrap of chocolate left in the house, and those that took annual leave at the start of the year — the people we were all jealous of — are now back. 2021 is well and truly underway.
Well, sort of.
]]>Hitman 3 is nearly here to bring you more adventures in deadly dressup with Ian Hitman himself. Ah but what will you be dressing up as while you seek out your targets and stash their friends in closets? You might be able to take some guesses as Io Interactive have now revealed the remainder of the locations you'll be visiting when the stealth adventure sneaks out later this month.
]]>Ian Hitman is imminently to return in Hitman 3 and, like Bourne off of Bourne, he faces near insurmountable odds in his struggle against a giant secret society that controls the world. Except who cares about that, really, because with all due respect to the writers, the overarching plot of the Hitman series was never the most fun or interesting bit. Hitman is about exploring big complex levels to learn all about them, and then killing someone in a ridiculous and elaborate way, without being noticed. Possibly whilst dressed as a clown.
A preview of Hitman 3, comprising the first two levels, indicates that this is still very much the case. Although the second, an excellent level set in Dartmoor, which gave me the most fun I think I've ever had playing Hitman, has convinced me that Ian "47" Hitman missed his true calling as the detective protagonist of an Agatha Christie novel and/or ITV daytime series.
]]>A new Hitman 3 gameplay video shows off Ian Hitman's first few minutes in Dubai, the dystopian city beloved by the likes of Jim Davidson and #sponcon #influencers. He's come to do murders during the opening of the world's tallest building, and it is a pretty one. The video from Game Informer doesn't show much sneaking or murdering, but it is nice-lookin'. Some of the technical improvements for Hit 3 will benefit the first two games too, one of the game's devs has revealed, including fancier reflections and a smaller install size.
]]>Rain-drenched streets tinted pink by neon lights? No, Hitman 3 hasn't gone all Cyberpunk on us just yet. Rather, developers IO Interactive have given us a peek at the stealthy sandbox threequel's visual upgrades with a trip to new location Chongqing, a Chinese city whose rain-swept roads are perfect for showing us lots of close-up shots of raindrops splashing off Mr Hitman's extra-shiny scalp.
]]>Hitman: Codename 47 was released 20 years ago today. In all that time, IO Interactive have crafted an entertaining seven-game series (not including spin-offs), with the eighth aiming for the heart in January 2021. The subject matter might be grim, but from the very first game, IO Interactive were always happy to fold information and easter eggs into their immersive sim (don't @ me) to a ridiculous degree. The games all have murderdeathkills, but they also have hauntings, mythical creatures, and real-world actors as targets.
I've had a blast digging up some forgotten facts and 47's more bizarre moments (this does mean this list contains some spoilers, so beware). There are so many that this could have been 200 facts for 20 years, but I stuck with 20. It seemed right. Enjoy!
]]>Ultrawide gaming monitors can seem excessive compared to regular 16:9 gaming screens, especially when their demanding resolutions often require powerful and expensive graphics cards to make the most of them. Once you try one, though, there's no going back. I've been a big fan of ultrawide gaming monitors for years now, as their extra screen space not only makes them great for juggling multiple desktop windows, but supported PC games also look uttery fantastic on them - and to prove it, I've put together this list of the best ultrawide games on PC.
]]>Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the original Hitman game, Codename 47. It’s a date that the creators of the series appear to be acknowledging by revealing a “new project” on that day. We already know that Hitman 3 is coming out in January, and that it’s going to be the final instalment of the “World of Assassination” trilogy. So what else could it be?
]]>Io Interactive today announced a January 20th release date for Hitman 3, the end of Ian Hitman's latest trilogy of stealthy murdering. He's been picking off pieces of a conspiracy for two games now, and getting ready to really bury it in this final part. Hitman 3 will be an Epic Games Store timed exclusive on PC, though it seems bits will transfer from the Steam versions of the first two.
]]>The PC launch of Hitman 3 will be a sneaky one, Io Interactive have announced, initially sneaking onto the Epic Games Store as one of those there timed exclusives. It'll be a one-year scloosie, their PR peeps tell us, after which I imagine we'll see it on Steam and such. Enough about stores: Io also revealed another of the game's settings, England's moody Dartmoor, where Ian Hitman will visit Thornbridge Manor. Murder most horrid has been committed, and the only person who can solve the mystery is... a professional murderer?
]]>The 1v1 PvP murder competition, Ghost Mode will not return in Hitman 3. Developers Io Interactive say they're focusing on other parts of the game instead. Not only will Ghost Mode be absent from the next game, Io will shut down the Ghost Mode servers in Hitman 2 at the end of this month. Sniper Assassin's co-op mode is also getting shut down. Goodbye, ghosts. Walk towards the light.
]]>Polish that chrome-dome, 47. It's time for your final mission. Announced during Sony's big ol' PlayStation 5 reveal stream, Hitman 3 is gearing up for one last trilogy-ending job next January on Sony's next-gen tellybox as well as PC and Xbox. True to form, our first look at Hitman 3 was an elusive one. A dark forest, sharp suits, high-society, and portrait of the high-collared hairless killer himself.
]]>
